UCL Draw Thread

[Beigl 1,387]

Not at all an easy group,but i think as current champions we have to win it.

[Jype 6,398]

I didn't quite understand how the draw worked sometimes. It's bullshit how there is "the red side" and "the blue side" of the draw and because of some television contracts teams couldn't be drawn into just any of the remaining groups where there were no teams from the same country. For example, only Dortmund and CFR Cluj were remaining from Pot4 and the only two groups without the fourth team were D (Real, City, Ajax) and H (United, Braga, Galatasaray) and as you can see, neither of those groups have any teams from either Germany or Romania so there should be no problem. However, instead of a fair draw UEFA just straight up decided that Cluj goes to H and Dortmund goes to D and the teams weren't even drawn. The red side of the draw already had one German team in Schalke04 and the other side had Bayern Munich, so in my opinion there shouldn't have been any reason as to why Dortmund couldn't go to either side of the draw. For some sketchy reason they were forced to join Group D so that UEFA could get their sexy Group of Death to sell to the fans.

[Nando 106]

expected tougher group

[Jase 43,479]

Regarding that City fixture, well, they play Madrid away while we are away at Juventus. Fair enough I suppose.

@, sorry mate. Saw the fixture wrongly. We play Juventus away on Matchday 5 and City are at home, not away, to Madrid.

[Danelka 209]

I didn't quite understand how the draw worked sometimes. It's bullshit how there is "the red side" and "the blue side" of the draw and because of some television contracts teams couldn't be drawn into just any of the remaining groups where there were no teams from the same country. For example, only Dortmund and CFR Cluj were remaining from Pot4 and the only two groups without the fourth team were D (Real, City, Ajax) and H (United, Braga, Galatasaray) and as you can see, neither of those groups have any teams from either Germany or Romania so there should be no problem. However, instead of a fair draw UEFA just straight up decided that Cluj goes to H and Dortmund goes to D and the teams weren't even drawn. The red side of the draw already had one German team in Schalke04 and the other side had Bayern Munich, so in my opinion there shouldn't have been any reason as to why Dortmund couldn't go to either side of the draw. For some sketchy reason they were forced to join Group D so that UEFA could get their sexy Group of Death to sell to the fans.

Well, the reason is Dortmund and Bayern attract more TV viewers than Schalke, therefore those 2 couldn't be drawn in the same "side".

This is kind of bullshit tho.

[Juventus fan 14]

LMAO here comes the cheating Juve fans. Sad team. Hopefully we raped them at their stadium, those cheating bastards. I feel bad for City they always get the hard groups and Utd get the easiest group ever

Wow, nice way to talk, i bet you feel very strong now !

Apart from this, hello everyone, i'm a Juventus fan from Italy.

The draw was very interesting, we look forward to play you at Stamford Bridge and at our new Juventus Stadium.

I read some positive comments from you guys about our team.

Some others instead seem to understimate us... maybe you shouldn't: after the 2006 relegation we've gone trough some difficult seasons, but when our former captain Antonio Conte joined us as a manager last year, things finally changed... the DNA of the old Juve came back, the spirit of never give up came back... like you probably know we won the league with ZERO defeats, we also reach the final of the Italian Cup and this year we already won the Italian Supercup (the equivalent of your Community Shield).

Another thing that Conte brought to this team is a very high quality football, the best in Italy, and i'm not saying this because i'm a fan.

If you look at some stats from last season games, you will notice that we always had a lot of ball possession (3rd team with more ball possession in Europe last year, see here: http://tinyurl.com/czz3bde), we never throw away the ball, not even when it's near our box.

Our defence was also very good last year (just 20 goals conceded in 38 games, best of the league), but in my opinion the strongest zone of our team is the midfield.

Pirlo, Vidal and Marchisio all had a magical season, and this year we add Isla and Asamoah, who had a very good start of the season (a goal in the Supercup, an assist in the first Serie A match vs Parma).

A greeting to all of you and sorry if my english wasn't 100% correct !

Stefano, Italy.

[Jase 43,479]

RDM's reaction to the group stage draw.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/2905316/title/chelsea-tv-exclusive-robbie-reacts

'It's not an easy group, it's going to be tough,' he said, speaking at the Stade Louis II Stadium in Monaco. 'Juventus I know very well, champions of Italy. They play some high tempo football, some good football, and have some good players.

'Shakhtar because of the connection with our club doctor Paco Biosca, who spent seven years there, we know a lot as well. Nordsjaelland are probably the weakest team in the group, but I think we will have to be at our best from the first game with juventus at home.

'It's going to be a big one just after the international break as well, so hopefully all our players come back in good shape from their national teams. Before it we have a big derby against QPR as well, so it's going to be a busy week.'

The manager, a former Italian international, expects Juventus at Stamford Bridge in just over a fortnight to be the pick of the games from the group.

'We like to be involved in the big games and our players respond very well to the big games, they are used to taking responsibility and I think they prefer those games,' he commented. 'But on the other hand they have had a good season, a good team, and hopefully we can start the campaign with a win at home.'

[Jype 6,398]

Well, the reason is Dortmund and Bayern attract more TV viewers than Schalke, therefore those 2 couldn't be drawn in the same "side".

This is kind of bullshit tho.

Yes, I know the reason behind it but that doesn't make it any less sketchy and it simply shows that UEFA don't care about having a fair competition where everyone gets an equal chance but instead they only want to make more money. If they're treating some of the teams unfairly at these draws so that the bigger teams get more TV coverage (= more money for the teams and uefa), then why should we believe for a second that they are treated equally in the games and that the most marketable teams don't get an unfair advantage with the referees or something?

It was simply an unbelievable feeling to finally win this competition after many, many years of coming so close only to fail but in the last few years I have even grown to dislike the whole idea of the Champions League or at least the fact that it is run by those corrupt UEFA cunts.

[Jase 43,479]

Did anyone realize that when the first four teams that came out of Pot 2 went straight into the last 4 pots from Group E to H in that order? Conspiracy...

[Liquidator 5,176]

A greeting to all of you and sorry if my english wasn't 100% correct !

Stefano, Italy.

your English is very, very good mate, welcome to TalkChelsea. I think it could be a very interesting 2 games between us. Your team is a lot stronger than when we last played you and your new stadium is lovely by the way. Lucio and Chiellini will be difficult to get past, Marchisio and Pirlo are very good midfielders and Giovinco and Vucinic look like quality players. We will have to play very well to beat you

[edetarod 2,155]

really happy with the Juventus tie, for some reason really wanted us to play them.

shame that Del Piero has already left

[Kezza 1,965]

We can do this. We won the CL last year with the same type of fixture congestion with a skinny team.

RDM has got this.